Lindenwood vs. Kansas
Point-Spread: KU -44.5
O/U Total: 58.5
Implied Score: KU 51.5 – LU 7
Weather: 85 degrees / 60% rain / 6 mph winds
Kansas:
Top Play(s) – RB Devin Neal ($7,900) We’re going to keep this Kansas writeup brief because almost the entire offensive two-deep remains intact from a year ago so we know what to expect here. Looking back at the last two season openers for Kansas against inferior FCS opponents, Neal has a combined 200+ rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns. I highly doubt Neal with hit 10 carries in this lopsided matchup, so be cautious how much exposure you have.
Fade – RB Sevion Morrison ($4,300) KU only released a two-deep so we cannot see who the RB3 currently is but reports from fall camp suggested prized freshman RB Harry Stewart III ($3,000) was impressive and already has a college ready frame at 215 pounds. I’d go cheap. If thinking about investing in a backup KU running back beyond the top two, I’d go cheap here in Stewart > Morrison.
Bargain Bin – TE Jared Casey ($3,700) With Trevor Kardell likely out, Casey won the TE1 job on the initial depth chart. More of a fullback as opposed to a tight end, Casey did catch two touchdowns last year and will fill a spot vacated by Mason Fairchild that produced 38 targets and three touchdowns a year ago.
Pivot Play – RB Daniel Hishaw Jr. ($5,700) We referenced above the two performances against inferior FCS opponents the last two years for Neal. In those same games, Hishaw saw a similar limited volume of carries, but found the end-zone in each matchup. Probably need more than one score to hit value from Hishaw, but he’ll provide a solid floor.
Best of the Rest – QB Jalon Daniels ($9,500) Curious to see how much the staff limits Daniels in his first game back after missing much of last year with the mysterious back injury. When healthy, Daniels is a borderline QB1 option in college fantasy, but I think we’re better of waiting a week or two to see how he functions health-wise. This is also a new offensive scheme under new OC Jeff Grimes. The WR situation is the same as it’s always been with WR Lawrence Arnold ($6,500), WR Luke Grimm ($5,400) and WR Quentin Skinner ($5,900) all back. Skinner is the least appealing of the trio as he’s the third option with the second-highest price point.
Injury Notes – TE Trevor Kardell ($3,400) Kansas’ 247 beat writer stated as of 8/26/24 that Kardell has been limited in practice with few reps due to injury. Highly doubt the staff plays him much / at all given the situation.
Lindenwood:
The starting skill position players for Lindenwood comprise of a Murray State transfer, McNeese State transfer, Fort Scott Community College transfer and a redshirt freshman that didn’t appear in a single game in 2023. If there was some FBS talent that transferred down a level, we might have some slight interest. WR Jeff Caldwell ($4,100) is the team’s best offensive weapon at 6-foot-4, leading the Lions last season with 63 targets and eight touchdowns in just nine games.
North Dakota State vs. Colorado
Point-Spread: Col -9.5
O/U Total: 59.5
Implied Score: Col 34.5 – NDSU 25
Weather: 78 degrees / 1% rain / 5 mph winds
Colorado:
Top Play(s) – WR Will Sheppard ($5,500) There may not be a team in college football with more depth at the wide receiver position than Colorado, but the former Vanderbilt transfer is a shoo-in to start at one of the boundary positions opposite Travis Hunter. Some risk here because of the target distribution with so much depth, but the price point is much more attainable than some of the higher-priced Colorado options. Sheppard caught two touchdowns in an August intrasquad scrimmage.
Fade – RBs. Same story as last year. The OL should be much improved, replacing the entire line, but this was the worst rush offense in the Pac-12 (RIP) last year, averaging under 70 yards per game on the ground. RB Charlie Offerdahl ($6,000) is a former walk-on and the de facto starter because the rest of the depth chart is made up of transfers still learning the offense. He should be $2k less based on actual talent.
Bargain Bin – WR Terrell Timmons Jr. ($3,400) The former NC State transfer is the backup to Travis Hunter and probably WR5 overall in the rotation but was praised by Shedeur Sanders recently in a fall camp practice. The article in the Coloradoan stated Timmons was “consistently targeted” by Sanders. If the staff takes some snaps away offensively from Hunter, Timmons will be the beneficiary.
Pivot Play – Play Multiple Colorado WRs. The Buffs were a highly popular stacking team in 2023 because of the condensed target share with the target three garnering 57% on a team that threw the ball 57% of the time. We expect Sheppard, WR Travis Hunter ($9,200) and FAU transfer WR LaJohntay Wester ($6,000) to start. Would be a tight squeeze to get three in with Shedeur, but two is a safe route, and could go to a third option in Timmons above or WR Jimmy Horn Jr. ($5,300) at a cheaper salary.
Best of the Rest – QB Shedeur Sanders ($10,000) To play or not to play at this price. I think it’s a better GPP play and must stack with multiple receivers as this will be a competitive matchup, which we have prior examples of from last year with the Buffs being core pieces of GPP takedowns. We will note that Colorado threw the ball slightly less once current OC Pat Shurmur took over the play-calling duties last season. Does that trend continue in 2024 or will Colorado remain extremely pass-happy. Sanders being a non-runner makes the $10k a tough pill to swallow.
Injury Notes – n/a
North Dakota State:
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